Hi
been reading your posts on morocco . Me and a mate are planning to go next may, (unless we find out thats the worst time to go) early stages yet! but we'll be going to spain and back on the ferry to save on the doing the france thing! we want to enjoy everything on the trip, right from the ferry to spain to morocco and back so we wont be sticking to a totally rigid itinery,(if the plan needs to change it needs to change). Budget is a constraint so we will be taking camping gear, but will take a roof over our heads when we can afford it! (or need it) . We'll be on xt 600es ,have soft luggage and be travelling light. My mates does motocross, all i have is a bit of off road experience and a lot of mountainbiking! Morocco is new to us so it'll be a bit of a leap into the unknown but thats what its all about isnt it? If this appeals to anyone ,or you have any ideas then drop me a line!
cheers drew

Hi Mark,

I just had a peek at the website on Morrocon pistes. Looks great. That's about what I had in mind to do over there :-)
I am expecting one of these
http://www.bibliomonde.com/pages/fic...id_ouvrage=160

A good friend of mine that has done Morocco numerous times by 4x4 and bike, has advised me this book, which should be the bible of Moroccon pistes. He now leaves with a Unimog + bikes for Mauretania (me very jealous :-) )

I have no route fixed yet and doing a predefined route is not really my style of travelling. I like to know what is interesting in advance, most of the time I have a specific sequence in mind, there will probably be a couple of must dos, but the moment will decide the itinerary. Will I be travelling 400+ kms a day or 100? It will depend on the moment and how I (we) feel, the weather, the feedback of people you meet along the road etc. The main objective is to ride and I am not the type of person to give up easily, so 400+ kms of nice piste seems realistic to do in one day. Long days in the saddle no prob!

Departure date: depending on company. No date fixed yet. Will try to do so asap depending on who is willing to join me.

About rest days: no problem. Can also be rest afternoons, a shorter trip or whatever.

Budget: minimum but whatever it requires. I had planned to take a small tent for emergencies.

Tyres: i leave with old road tyres and takes TKC'c with me. I will swap them in Morocco just before hitting the first pistes.

Offroad experience: From time to time I go off road in my neighbourhood. I took the BMW offroad course in Hechlingen, Germany, as well which is great by the way. Apart from that I mainly use the bike on road (I have the bike, my wife has the car).

I'll send you an email (is your address correct?) with some personal details. If you could reply to that, so we know more or less what to expect...

Cheers

Demito

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Husqvarna 701 Enduro on a round the world trip MotoMorgana

May is a bit late for me but i've heard blossom in Morocco is very beautiful. Whenever you're planning to go earlier, we could meet. Lemmenow.

Cheers

Demito

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Husqvarna 701 Enduro on a round the world trip MotoMorgana

Hi Demito, are you flemmish? Because I live in Stabroek, Antwerpen.

You are planning the same trip I am except for the bike (Africa Twin) and the departure date. I was planning to leave late april, because earlier would be a cold ride to Spain.
Also I plan to take it easy driving to Gibraltar (3-4 days) and buy TKC 80's there and leave my old road tyres.
I have no off-road experience and will be doing some pistes from Chris Scott's book.
Total time 3 weeks.


Please e-mail me, maybe I'll change my departure date.
tony.peeters3@telenet.be


http://tony-ontheroad.blogspot.com

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http://tony-ontheroad.blogspot.com/

Titbird, you've got mail.

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Husqvarna 701 Enduro on a round the world trip MotoMorgana

from much of my own experience in Maroc (admittedly 30 years ago), 3 months at at time, 3 different trips, camping can be a problem. every town of any size has secured campgrounds, and if you ride up to a farm of a decent size, the gracious Koranic hospitality will get you invited to camp / eat and relax. i spent more time with people that way and had the most personal and memorable times with people i still think about.

on the other hand, free camping almost got my brains bashed out by some guys who slit my tent while we were sleeping.

even the secure campgrounds can be bad if you are near a fence; I had a knife fight with a robber who jumped the tall fence and was helping himself to all our gear in the car. no permanent damage to me -- because i grabbed the blade he was trying to stick into my belly and hung on as he sawed it back and forth. lots of blood, but he got the worst of it when the gendarmes showed up and beat him senseless. still have a scar and a great story.

moral: camp safe.

i still love maroc and am going back to do a trans-North Africa traverse this winter spring if i can get myself organized.

zigy / Boulder CO USA

Zigy thanks for that advice, sounds like you had fun! we're taking some emergency camping gear, but where we can we're gunna try and get a roof over our heads and a bit more security! Saying that it would be a waste not to sleep out under the stars the odd night!
ta drew

Same for me, allthough I was told Morocco is pretty safe nowadays. Do you have an idea on your route already DREW69?

Cheers

Demito

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Husqvarna 701 Enduro on a round the world trip MotoMorgana

not yet demito, we have only got 3 weeks max for the whole trip so we've gotta make it fit! ive just ordered chris scotts overland book as ive heard about a route from near the algerian border to the atlantic that is "adventurous but relatively easy" mainly on tracks and within normal tank ranges for petrol stops! like i say im gunna look at the route, it may well be too far south for us to have a crack at!

drew